This wasn’t the first time I have read Sojourner Truth’s speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” and it definitely won’t be the last time. This speech is so powerful for multiple reasons. Women had finally started breaking the gender norms and began speaking out about inequality. Sojourner Truth’s courage and determination is so powerful because not only is she making a very strong statement as a woman, but also as an African American.
She is making a statement to society saying that if men think that women should get special privileges, that ALL women deserve those privileges. She gives power to women as a whole saying even though we worship Christ, who is a man, without God and A WOMAN there would be no Christ. She calls to women saying that if the first woman that God created was able to “turn the world upside down,” then so can we. Her speech isn’t just about being treated like “a woman,” but about stopping the inequality within the sexes. Her speech, or performance, is so powerful and inspiring that we are still acknowledging, respecting and learning about it today.
Feminism has come such a long way since Sojourner Truth’s performance and this courage that she displayed has given other women courage to follow in her footsteps. The feminist movement has been such a public outcry full of different forms of public performances, and these performances have slowly started breaking down social gender norms and stereotypes.
Below is a video of a woman named Alice Walker performing Sojourner Truth’s speech. Watching someone else perform her same speech gives a new understanding and sense of power that continues to inspire women to continue to fight for change today.
We are all women,
we all deserve respect,
and we all deserve equal rights.
Together we are powerful.
Brenna, I agree, this reading was really powerful! I actually got the idea for my manifesto from her declaration! I was so moved by it. I don't know if you've ever heard of the interlocking systems of inequality but its pretty much like men are suppose to be "higher" than women but a white upper-class male is higher than a black lower-class male even though they're both men. I think it relates to Sojourner Truth's "Aint I a Woman?" because shes not getting the same privileges as a white woman even though she's a woman too.
ReplyDelete-Veronica Silveyra
Sojourner Truth stood against millions who doubted her during her very infamous speech. I believe that this was a huge breakout moment for women all over the world proving that they deserve equality amongst the rest of the world. She proved all her doubters wrong by doing everything a “woman” shouldn’t be capable of.
ReplyDelete-Tri Nguyen
I too have read this manifesto many times. I value what Sojourner Truth did. As a black woman, it is still very hard today to be taken seriously. We are still hyper-sexualized in the media, and often times viewed as being incompetent. This Manifesto really touches me because it shows the strength that black women possess and the intellect that is often not shown. I have so much respect for people who are able to stand up for what they believe in to make a change. Sojourner made a huge impact in many lives the day she performed her manifesto and continues to do just that today. I hope we continue to follow the lead of past activist and continue to fight for equality amongst all peoples.
ReplyDeleteJasmine Morrow
I too found this article by Sojourner Truth (great name!) moving. It is so simply and sincerely stated; "Ain't I a Woman?" It simply and fiercely portrays her disbelief in the way she is treated and portrayed by the rest of society. I found a video of Alfre Woodard reading "Ain't I a Woman?" on youtube, part of a reading from Voices of a People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove,)February 1, 2007 at All Saints Church in Pasadena, CA. I find her passion and inflection in the reading very powerful and effective. Please check it out and you might feel like you are witnessing the original speech.
ReplyDeleteLisa Gloff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vr_vKsk_h8